2024 year end summary

So, another year has drawn to a close.

My undoubted wildlife highlight of 2024 was watching and photographing Brown Bears on a trip with Slovenian Bears for 3 days in May.

Slovenian Bears - May 2024

Photo: Brown Bears in Notranjska Regional Park, Slovenia

Photo: Brown Bears in Notranjska Regional Park, Slovenia

Photo: Brown Bears in Notranjska Regional Park, Slovenia

But on to the UK and my local patches in SS15 ….

Watching and photographing Red Foxes on my St. Nicholas Church local patch site was as rewarding as ever. My photos appeared in my blog posts over the past year but are also featured on my Flickr site.

Photo: Red Fox near St. Nicholas Church, Laindon, Essex

With regard to birds, my 2024 UK year list closed on 205 species, exactly the same as 2023 and 1 more than 2022.

I added just a single species to my UK life list during 2024, namely the incredible Northern Waterthrush at Heybridge near Maldon in Essex. This took my UK life list to 355 species.

SS15wildlife watching: Northern Waterthrush at Heybridge near Maldon, Essex

SS15wildlife watching: Trip away from SS15 – Heybridge, Maldon, Essex – 15thJanuary 2024

SS15wildlife watching: Trip away from SS15 – Heybridge, Maldon, Essex – 19thJanuary 2024

Photo: Northern Waterthrush at Heybridge near Maldon, Essex

In SS15, I had a very successful and productive 2024 at both my local patch sites: St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas and Noak Bridge Nature Reserve.

Total number of species recorded in 2024 across both local patch sites (+/- on 2023 in brackets):

Birds = 51 (- 1)

Mammals = 4 (0)

Butterflies = 18 (- 6)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 13 (- 1)

Reptiles = 0 (- 1)

Amphibians = 1 (-1)

I was able to add 5 new species and 6 new species to my all time site totals for St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas and Noak Bridge Nature Reserve respectively.

Sadly, but not unexpectedly given national data and trends, the number of butterfly species that I recorded during 2024 showed a marked decrease on 2023.

St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas

Total species recorded - all time:

Birds = 68

Mammals = 7

Butterflies = 25

Dragonflies and damselflies = 14

Reptiles = 1

Amphibians = 0

Total species recorded - 2024 (+/- on 2023 in brackets):

Birds = 49 (+ 2)

Mammals = 3 (- 2)

Butterflies = 17 (- 6)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 11 (- 5)

Reptiles = 0 (0)

Amphibians = 0 (0)

2024 proved to be my best year for the number of bird species since I started recording regularly in 2021.

Again, as already noted, the number of butterfly species that I recorded during 2024 showed a marked decrease on 2023.

I recorded 5 new species for the site during 2024:

Birds: Red Kite, Woodcock, Common Tern (heard only), Meadow Pipit (heard only)

Dragonflies and damselflies: Brown Hawker

Noak Bridge Nature Reserve

Total species recorded - all time:

Birds = 50

Mammals = 4

Butterflies = 22

Dragonflies and damselflies = 15

Reptiles = 2

Amphibians = 3

Total species recorded - 2024 (+/- on 2023 in brackets):

Birds = 39 (+ 3)

Mammals = 3 (+ 1)

Butterflies = 12 (- 3)  

Dragonflies and damselflies = 11 (0)

Reptiles = 0 (- 1)

Amphibians = 1 (-1)

With regard to bird species, 2024 was the third successive year where I recorded an increase in the number of species although 44 species in 2021, when I first started recording, remains the highest yearly total.

Again, as already noted, the number of butterfly species that I recorded during 2024 showed a decrease on 2023. 

I recorded 6 new species for the site during 2024:

Birds: Teal, Willow Warbler, Jackdaw

Mammals: Brown Rat

Dragonflies and damselflies: Migrant Hawker, Southern Migrant Hawker

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